Tuesday, July 10, 2012

OK, so I am taking another cardmaking class at Onlinecardclasses.com. This one is called "Stretch Your Stamps" -- it's about learning new and different ways to use the rubber stamps you already have.

So I will be posting some of the cards I make from the class here in my blog, so I can link to them for the class website.

The first lesson was about background stamps, different ways to use them. The idea I like best was, stamping a background stamp on only part of a card, leaving the rest of the card blank for other stamps and techniques. I thought that looked cool (and easy) so that's what I did here:

The stamp is called "Grungy Grid Background" from Stampabilities, and I stamped it in Memento black ink over slightly more than half the card, and colored in some of the squares, quite randomly, with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers in the Tan and Golden Brown color ranges. The "Hello" sentiment is from Hampton Art/Studio G.

Now, as you can see, because it is a one-layer card, the markers bled through to the inside of the card:

I could cover that over with a panel of matching cardstock, but I don't know, I might just leave it. I think it looks kind of neat. It reminds me of an antique IBM computer punchcard. Or a kitchen tile mosaic.

And here is an Artist Trading Card I have done for a swap on Rubberstampchat.net. Why this photo is so pink and weird I have no idea. I know squat about photography. But I want to put the ATC in the pre-class art gallery on the class website. So there. :)

Oh, your background card turned out super! I love how you randomly colored some of the squares. I liked the idea of coloring in some of my backgrounds, too, but I have yet to try it! This class has been just awesome so far!

I did the ATC with a technique I learned in the Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry class -- Paint Resist. Stamp the image with acrylic paints, dry it, then wash over it with Distress Stain. Oh, the surface is sticky-back canvas. Pleased to find the butterfly brad in my stash to finish it off. The theme of the ATC swap is "wildflowers."

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